In this touching, hopeful story that reads like a modern classic, a young girl befriends a bear in the zoo. He comes from far, far away, a place he calls the Land of the Bears, where the food is sweet and the land is vast. It is a wondrous home, where the rivers are like bathtubs and naps last for months and months. But, alas, he cannot return; his new home is the zoo. And so the girl listens carefully as her friend remembers, and she imagines a world of freedom, vast and sweet. Using a gentle tone, spare language, and gorgeous illustrations, Mariana Ruiz Johnson reminds young readers that being a good listener is what makes for a good friend.

 

This book has been graded for interest at 3-7 years.

There are 24 pages in this book. This is a picture book. A picture book uses pictures and text to tell the story. The number of words varies from zero ('wordless') to around 1k over 32 pages. Picture books are typically aimed at young readers (age 3-6) but can also be aimed at older children (7+). This book was published 2014 by Schwartz & Wade Books .

Mariana Ruiz Johnson is the daughter of two book artists. This is her second book to be published in English. She lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina.